The Princess and the Dragon
by Kikyoremura
Summary: AU. Natsumi is a princess and Giroro a cursed dragon. Natsumi wasn't put into her tower like normal princesses, she put herself there. Now with her dragon by her side, her parents want someone to come save her, but is that really what she wants?


**Hello everyone. So here's a quick update before reading on, or read on and skip this, it's your choice. I can't tell you what to do and all. Anyway, I am slowly working toward all my fanfics, comics, and so forth. My computer will be gone from me for probably a couple of days because it needs to be fixed so I will lose a couple days on my progress. I have finished writing Fourteen Days so I will begin drawing up the rest of it when I get the chance which you can all read on my deviant art. As for When Everything Goes Wrong, Angel With A Shotgun, and other fics, I am writing them very slowly and continuously. So I'm planning on finishing the stories, or at least a majority of them before releasing any new chapters. The progress is slow because I've lost the motivation for them and the ideas aren't flowing as much now. So please bare with me and I hope you enjoy this "short", twenty something pages of work that I've been meaning to write for a while.**

 **Update: My computer is back so I can actually upload this without any more technical difficulties.**

In a time long ago where Kings and Queens ruled lands, there lived a story that proved legend throughout kingdoms. No one really knew if it was true or not, for only one person lived to tell the tale. Even then, that one person was condemned shortly after for their dabbling in the dark arts of witchcraft. The legend goes as such…

As with many princesses, there was always a tower involved. Most were sentenced there by their parents in order to test the cunning and strength of many knights and knaves in order to save the princesses and gain their hand in marriage. Most of these kingdoms that practiced this were due to a grumpy King that could not produce a first born son. In order to secure the throne, they needed someone to marry their daughters through trials and tribulations.

Now in this legend, it is said that the princess locked in this specific tower was not sentenced there by her parents. In fact, her parents had no idea how she got there in the first place. Many rumors spread that the parents just played dumb, or that it was a curse upon their family. Others blamed the dragon that guarded the tower. Then there was the handful that simply, did not care. Another princess, another day.

This legend though, proved to impress even those naysayers. The princess had grown up in that tower since she was 5 all the way till she was 18. No one understood how she survived. The tower she was trapped in was the tallest tower anyone has ever encountered. The walls were smooth so as no one could scale them easily. The doors did not exist on the outside, nor were there any windows aside from her balcony. The tower would not shatter or cave in no matter how much strength was applied. It became known more as the 'fortress' rather than a tower. To make matters worse for the kingdom about this, was the giant dragon that guarded the fortress. It was said to be bigger than three of the biggest castles that was an exaggeration due to fear. The red of its scales reflected your face clearly, before they were stained with your blood. A scar was etched across its left eye. Not one knight dared take credit for it, for fear that the dragon would hear them and come take them in the middle of the night.

The dragon became every kingdom's nightmare. They feared it would come scoop up another princess each day. Queens were locked away during the nights on the off chance the dragon would also steal them away. Everyone feared the dragon, but it did not deter the 'brave' knights, kings, knaves, and peasant folk that would try and take it on for a chance to win the heart of the princess. No one had truly ever seen the princess other than the witch and the dragon. When questioned about the princess, the witch could only praise her beauty and talents, leaving many men in awe. But it was her flame personality she focused on the most. The witch described the girl as passionate, yet stubborn. Her fury could know no bounds. And her kindness toward the dragon was something to behold. The witch made it sound as if the princess loved the dragon, leaving many naysayers to her tale.

"Why would the princess love the dragon that kept her trapped for years?" they asked and teased the witch.

"Trust me! I saw it! You can't deny what I saw! If you want proof, then go see for yourself!" the witch would sneer, tired from all the denial and backhand responses. But not many took her challenge. Those that did, never came back. When the day of the witch's trial came, she snickered into the sky. The dragon had flown over, bringing a great wind to the crowds. A slicing could be heard near where the witch was tied up. When they looked over to where she once stood, her ropes were cut and she no longer stood there. Many thought the dragon heard her lies and stole her for his dinner. Others began believing her tales for it was proof enough. Some said they saw the princess. Some considered the witch the princess herself. And of course, very few did not really care either way so as long the dragon stayed away forever.

Many months passed, until finally, a merchant in a distant land sent message of his newly gained knowledge on the princess. The kingdom demanded the merchant tell them everything he knew. The king and queen, along with their greatest knights, suitors, and chamber courtesans all gathered to this land to hear the news.

When the merchant had them all seated, he began recounting the tale that was told to him by none other, than the illustrious, all powerful, red dragon.

The king and knights laughed at him before turning on him in anger.

"Dragons can't talk merchant! What are you trying to pull?!" one of the knights sneered.

"Yeah! You're as crazy as that old biddy that said the princess loved the dragon!" another knight spewed.

"I swear on my shop that everything I'm about to tell you is from the dragon himself. The princess in hand as well. She had some words to chip in" the merchant coolly insisted.

The queen watched him carefully, taking note of his own appearance and manner. He wore a red hood that covered the left side of his face. His clothing was fairly new and decorated with shining scales. His wares all seemed to reflect his own wardrobe. His manner seemed very cool and collected, as if he was confident in holding this meeting. She silenced the men from their teasing.

"Please…let us hear what you have to say, dear merchant."

The king stared at her incredulously, but allowed it. He silenced his men and sat silently as they all listened to the tale.

"Thank you dear Queen, now, it all began from the day the dragon and the princess first met…."

"It was many years ago, she was only but a child. She stumbled into the woods all by herself with no one to guide her. She spent the day playing under the trees and through the pathways that led to the babbling brooke. By the time she had stopped, it was already dark outside. She was all alone in the middle of the forest. She was scared, cold, and all alone…."

The young princess sniffled as she wandered the forest alone. She couldn't see anything familiar thanks to the darkness. The sounds of the forest at night terrified her. Owls hooting, wolves howling, the brook roaring, tree branches cracking, and the leaves rustling through the wind.

"Mommy…I want my mommy…" the princess sniffled.

The hooting owls were the only voices to reply to the crying toddler. The sky began to roar as it grew darker with streaks of light protruding from it. A great storm was coming, and the poor little princess would be out in the open during it. The crack of thunder paralyzed her in fear. Her tears poured as fast as the rain dripping on her cheeks. Her body shivered to the push of the howling wind. All the animals around her had run away to safety. She was now even more alone than before. She cried and cried through the storm, clutching to herself for warmth and safety.

The crunch of branches alerted her, causing her to freeze and stay hidden under the trees. A large, dark figure stomped its way toward her. Closer and closer it crawled to her until finally, it was mere inches from her face. She dared not open her eyes or move an inch. The monster before her starred with it's greying blue eyes, unmoving. The two of them remained silent, unsure of what either of them would do. The princess dared to open her eyes, thinking her fears were gone. When her eyes gazed upon the monster, she let out a scream, curling further into the tree out of fear. The monster roared, angry at the little girl. It wanted nothing more than to stomp on her and end the shrieking. It was honestly about to before the monster was slapped across the face with a branch.

The princess, tears amongst her red cheeks, had swung the branch as hard as she could.

"Stay away! Stay away!" She cried.

The monster stared at her, aghast that she would hit him. Anger and confusion filled his head. He roared once more, causing the princess to topple over and fall to the ground. She let a few more sniffles out as she crawled around the floor. Knees scraped and a cut on her cheek could not stop her now. She gripped her branch and swung once more against the monster's snout. Part of the branch snapped, falling into his nostril. It caused him to scratch and sneeze, leaving the toddler proud of her feat.

"That'll teach you, you big monster!" she declared, holding out her branch.

Calming down, the monster glared at her, ready to kill now. The princess stood her ground, glaring back. This caught the monster off guard. No one had dared gaze into his glare with another glare in retaliation. The monster took a step back, which was followed by a step forward by the princess. This intrigued the monster. He took a step toward the girl, causing her to step back. He then took a few more steps back, followed by the tiny child. He continued walking back, watching her follow. He stopped quickly, causing her to bump into him. He smirked and flared his nostrils, amused by her clumsiness. Though he didn't expect her slapping his snout with her small, childish strength.

"I don't want to play with you!" she shouted. "I just want to go home!"

The dragon stared at her, determining what to do with his prey. He could of eaten her at any moment. But he found amusement in her childish ways. He laid down, sighing. The air from his nostrils caused the dust around them to fly into the air, making the princess cough. All the while, the rain poured heavily and the sky roared menacingly. Another great roar from the sky sent the little girl fall back and trembling. The monster took notice and watched her, confused.

He thought to himself, "Why would this little girl be afraid of the sky when she isn't afraid of me?"

She continued to tremble. The rain drops mixed with her tears as she huddled in the dirt. The monster watched, perplexed at the simpleness of this human. He stood up, towering over the little girl, and stood above her, keeping the rain away. She stared up at his giant belly, confused why he would shield the rain.

"What are you doing…?" she asked with a sniffle. The monster didn't respond, he only curled up with her, lifting his tail above her to shield the rain. She was no longer cold for she felt the heat deep within him. She was no longer alone for the monster was now her friend. She no longer had the rain pouring over her thanks to the monster. She felt at ease and drifted away.

The monster watched her throughout the night, unsure of what he was doing, let alone what she was planning, if anything. So the monster stayed put through the storm, caring for the little girl until morning. When the sun began to rise, the monster's scale began to glimmer, reflecting the sun's rays. One of the scales reflected onto the little girl, causing her to grumble. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. When she brushed the sleep from her eyes, she looked up at the monster, finally being able to see him. She stared in awe as he shined above her. The monster stared back at her, confused at the wonder in her eyes.

"You're a dragon…" she exclaimed.

The dragon raised its brow. His nostrils flared as his head sank down to face her. The princess stared into his big eyes. She slowly reached out her hand toward him. The dragon flinched lightly, expecting another slap. Instead, the little girl gently sat her hand down on his snout, a light pet. The dragon opened his eyes, surprised. He watched the little girl gently pet his scales, her eyes still focused on his.

"You're a nice dragon, aren't you?" she asked, still petting him.

The dragon growled lightly, looking away from her. She giggled in response, causing the dragon to look back at her.

"You only think you're a big, bad dragon" she teased. The dragon jerked from her and stood up, causing the little girl to fall. He huffed, annoyed now. The little girl stared up at him, faint tears behind her eyes. Her lips pursed to a pout and her cheeks puffed red.

"Why'd you do that?! Maybe you're not so nice!" she shouted. Her little arms pulled her body up from the ground.

The dragon huffed back at her. He started trotting off, but the little girl followed. He swung his tail, gently enough that it wouldn't horribly harm her, but just enough that she would fall back down. She sat still on the ground, watching him walk away. She wasn't sure why the dragon didn't kill her the night before, then again, she wasn't sure why he was being a jerk now. When she looked back to where she saw the dragon last, he was no longer there. Dumbstruck, she looked around briefly before running back home.

"I don't have time for these trivial stories! What happened to my daughter!" the king yelled, smashing his fist onto the table in front of him.

"I told you I'd tell you everything the dragon and your daughter told me, now if you want to hear the rest, sit down" the merchant insisted, taking a drink from his mug.

"I only want to know where she is! I'll kill the dragon if I have to!" he roared.

"I think you should hear how your negligence as a parent lead to your daughter's containment, good sir" the merchant retorted sharply.

The queen motioned for her husband to take a seat. "Please merchant…continue."

The king silenced himself, allowing the merchant to proceed.

"Thank you. Now…"

It had been weeks since that day. The princess hadn't forgotten about the dragon. Even on the day of her fifth birthday. She had taken up training in her spare time with the knights. She had become fairly good at sparring at such a young age. She even asked for a sword for her birthday. But alas, she was a princess and far too young to even consider giving her such a thing. She instead received dresses, jewelry, sweets, and other feminine trinkets that could never please her passionate person.

She sat, bored and secluded on her small throne as she was paraded around the town. It was a time for celebration, but the princess did not see anything worth celebrating. She had learned very quickly that her future was set for her. She was a princess, nothing more and nothing less. She wanted to run, ride horses, spar with people, go on adventures. She wanted to be a knight. Instead, she must sit properly, be feminine, wait for the day a suitor would come and sweep her off her feet. She had to be dainty otherwise no one would want her. She had to be pretty and cleaned daily. She was scolded whenever she'd get any grass stains on her knees or expensive dresses.

There she sat, watching all the people cheering and praising her. In the crowd, she could see a shining red flash. She shot up from her seat, looking around frantically. A man in the crowd waved to her, holding a red scale. She demanded the chariot to stop. The man walked up to her proudly, kneeling down to face her. He extended the scale to her.

"I have seen many things throughout my life, dear princess. I've encountered a dragon recently with gorgeous red scales that shine like the sun. When we crossed paths, our eyes were locked, ready for battle. We fought for hours with no avail. We were at a standstill princess, do you understand?" the man asked before continuing. The princess nodded her head, enticed by the story and the scale. He smiled and continued with his tale.

"The dragon stared at me the whole time, growling, hunched low. I had my sword drawn, ready to attack if he lunged. But instead, the dragon huffed at me, turning his back, and walked away. Behind, he left this scale. I want you to have it princess, to remember that there are beautiful things out there that can only be obtained through kindness. That dragon spared both of our lives and I was rewarded with this. Now, I hope you will do the same while you grow" he finished, handing her the scale. She smiled and hugged the man before running back up to her throne. She gazed into the scale happily, seeing her own reflection in the red.

The celebration lasted all day, all week even. Wherever the princess went, so did the scale. One night in the middle of the celebration, the princess was told she needed to hand over the scale. It wasn't proper for a princess. She gripped to it with all her might, refusing to part with it.

"I don't want to be a proper princess!" she shouted.

"You're a princess and you can't change that!" shouted the king.

"Watch me!" the princess shouted, tears in her eyes, scale close to her, she bolted away from the celebration and ran into the woods. Knights on horses followed quickly along with noblemen and peasant folk. On and on they chased the princess through the forest. She tucked away into a burrow hole under a tree as the search group passed her by. She waited before she walked out and ran further into the forest away from the search party. Deeper and deeper she went into the darkening trees until, finally, she found the spot where she found the dragon the first time.

Hearing the neighs of horses close behind, she continued running forward, stumbling over brambles and branches. The party grew closer and closer to her, gaining right on her heels.

"Stop running princess! Let us take you home!" a knight yelled.

"No! I don't want to be a princess! I don't want to be trapped!" she shouted back, still running ahead. As she stepped into an open field, the horses behind her ceased, causing their riders to panic momentarily. The further she ran, the further she got now. The grass around her began to glow. She stopped, looking around her uncertain of what was happening. She gripped the scale tightly, wishing to it that everything would just stop.

"Please…" she whispered, "I don't want to be trapped…I don't want to be stuck in my life…" she pleaded. In that moment, the grass glowed even brighter, creating a tower around the girl. Brick by brick it was built reaching to the sky. The knights and the rest of the search party watched in fear as some sort of magic was in effect. The princess watched in fear as walls enveloped her, stacking on top of each other, encasing her against her wishes.

"Natsumi!" shouted the king. He pounded against the bricks with all his might. He punched and hit but to no avail. He could no longer see his daughter, let alone hear her.

"Bring in the catapults, the stocks, everything! We need to get her out of there!" he shouted to his knights.

A fearsome roar paralyzed them. They looked to the sky to see a giant dragon swooping down at them. It charged, swishing his tail at the men. Horses neighed and ran off, the men following with. The last thing the king could see clearly was the dragon clenching itself to the tower as it continued growing taller.

It was mere moments when the tower was finished. The sun rose over the mountains, peeking through. When the rumbling of the building stopped, the princess opened her eyes. She looked around to see that she was indeed, trapped against her wishes. Clutching the scale close to her, she began sobbing. Scared and alone, she didn't know what to do now. This wasn't what she wanted. She asked to not be trapped, but whatever magic was at work betrayed her. From above, she could make out a faint growling.

Her head shot up, wondering what it was. She trembled, fearing it might be a monster trapped with her. Holding onto her scale as a shield, she began climbing up the steps one at a time. The tower was tall, too tall to see the top. The closer to the top she got, the louder the growls could be heard. With her tiny legs, she could only move so fast up the steps. When she looked down, she could still see the bottom. Taking a deep breathe, she continued scaling the tower, hoping her fears wouldn't come true.

It took an hour of walking until she finally reached the top. Tired and out of breathe, the little girl fell over as she climbed the last step. She could feel the warmth of light ahead of her, drawing her strength.

"It's so warm…" she mumbled.

A low growl could be heard ahead. She lifted her head to see a shining light glaring at her. The growl persisted and grew louder.

"W-who's out there?" she called out.

The growling grew in intensity. The princess shivered and shook, clutching the scale to her heart. She pulled herself up, taking small steps closer and closer to the opening. The sun brightly shone outside, reflecting off of her scale the closer she inched. When she stepped outside on the balcony, she could see her kingdom in the distance. Every house, every village, river, brooke, and tree. It was beautiful from where she was. The breeze of the summer air blew through her hair.

Little did she know, she was not alone. A low growl persisted from behind her. The pink haired girl turned around slowly to see the dragon arched on the top of the tower, leaning down to the balcony.

"O-oh, it's you. D-do you remember me?" she asked.

The dragon stared at her deeply, his nostrils flared slightly.

"You've got to remember me…right? Back in the forest…?"

He swung his tail like last time, causing her to fall on her behind. She rubbed her back and glared up at him. The dragon now had a smirk lying on his face.

"That was mean!" she shouted.

The dragon prepared his tail for another swing. The little girl quickly put up the scale shield in defense, preparing for another blow. But nothing hit her. When she peered over the scale, she noticed the dragon staring at his own scale. He looked puzzled, unsure how she managed to get one. She looked at the scale and then back at him.

"A nice man gave it to me…he said you two fought…and you spared him" she explained.

The dragon looked up to the sky, remembering that battle. He nodded and stared back at her unamused. His eyes perked to a group of people walking over to the tower, catapults and weaponry at the ready. The princess looked down from her balcony to see her father and his men on their way.

"Father…he's coming to rescue me, isn't he.."

The dragon growled.

"Do you not want him to rescue me?" she asked.

Nostrils flaring, the dragon looked even more unamused.

She pouted, "what's that supposed to mean?!"

Suddenly, he took flight. Circling around the tower. The king and his men took their stances, ready to attack. The dragon swooped down through the men, causing a great wind to push them back before he flew off.

The princess watched as the dragon flew away, leaving her alone once more. She called to him, but he never came. Solemn, she starred off the balcony, watching the father and his knights struggle to free her. The catapults did nothing against the structure. Their battering rams broke in half. Hours went by, but they could not save her. They searched for doors, for windows, for cracks to climb, but nothing. The king stared up to his daughter, hoping and praying she'd come back safety.

Months passed. The king would have his men catapult food to the top of the tower daily. The princess curled up in the corner of the inside of the top of the tower every night. She'd spare her rations to make sure they lasted. The dragon hadn't come back in those past months. She spent her days all alone, just her and the scale. Tutors and people would come daily to keep her company from below. At first she accepted them all, taking in every moment of social interactions. But as time went by, she grew less and less social. No one could satiate her needs like she needed. She grew distant, ignoring her lessons, her story times, or simple conversations. Eventually, they all stopped trying as hard. They'd show up, but only sit there. They'd try to initiate their sessions, but after minutes of no answers, they just sat there and waited.

The more time that went by, the more lonely she became. She wanted a friend, someone to physically touch and see and hear up there with her. But no matter how much she prayed, no one could fulfill that. She spent many days and nights crying. She had tossed the scale to the side, angry that the dragon had left her once more. A year had fully gone by. She was now 6 years old. The kingdom came to help celebrate with her, but she didn't care anymore. No party could make her feel better. After all, she couldn't' participate the way she wanted. The king called out to her, "Darling, is there anything you want for your birthday that we can give you?"

She thought about it as she lay on the ground. She thought back to how she wanted a sword last year. She looked over the balcony, some hope filling her now. She called down, "Father! All I want is a sword!"

The king looked perplexed. "Darling, I told you before, a princess should not have a sword!" he shouted back.

"It is my birthday and I'm trapped at the top of a tower. What good does being a princess do now?" she called back down.

"I will not be getting you a sword young lady! You can have anything else though!"

"Then I want nothing!" she shouted back, going back to her corner. She should've known that regardless of her situation, she would still be trapped in her destiny. She couldn't understand why a princess had to be a specific way. If she had a sword, she could learn to defend herself. What good was a prince charming if they couldn't always be there to save you? She sighed and curled up with the blankets she received months prior through the catapults. She looked around the top of the tower. She had blankets a plenty, some toys, food, some clothes, and other trinkets. She tried decorating to cheer her mood over the past months, but it was only a reminder that she was still trapped.

A prisoner in her future. She couldn't fight her destiny and she couldn't escape the tower. She never understood how she got in this predicament, but she wished it never happened. What she would give to be able to touch the grass once more, to swim down the river, or to ride her horse.

She'd watch the village people try to build ladders and stairs up to her, but as always, it failed. She'd recall all the strange events that would unfold as they tried to build to her. A ladder once was set on fire. An entire week's worth of stone stair building had vanished the next morning. The tower had moved a few inches to the side of another. The more they tried, the more they failed. It was as if the tower refused to let her go.

Eventually, the King and Queen sent for help from other kingdoms, stating, whoever could save their daughter would have her hand in marriage when she came of age. When they told her of this, she shouted in anger. She threw food down at them in rage. When she was finally alone, she'd break down and cry. " _How could they do that to me…"_ she'd say. All she ever wanted was to be a warrior, a knight. She didn't want to be treated as a princess the rest of her life. No one understood that. No one understood her. So she decided she'd be better off alone.

One night, while she was sleeping, a giant gust of wind brushed passed her, causing her to stir in her sleep. She bolted up and tried to block it. It only lasted for a moment though. Sighing, she went back to sleep. When she finally awoke the next morning and walked out to the balcony, she noticed a long object wrapped in paper. Hesitantly, she opened the parcel. When she unwrapped it, she pulled out a mighty sword that shined as red and as bright as the scale she had. She stared at the sword adoringly. An unknown smile appeared on her face, eyes filled with joyous tears. She couldn't believe her wish was granted. But from where did it come from? She thought back, hoping her father finally gave in. Although she wanted it to be true, something inside told her it wasn't from him. Maybe her mother…regardless, she took in the moment and hugged the sword to her chest. It was still too heavy for her to swing confidently, but she struggled on nonetheless.

She decided it would be best to not mention the sword to her father, just in case. Now she had exactly what she wanted. She was alone, but she had her sword. She could finally practice. She could finally be happy for a while.

Time passed. She'd practice every day and every night. When someone came to talk with her, she'd give them a small amount of time before sending them off. She spent the next few years practicing every day. As the years went by, she grew more and more, stronger and stronger, until finally, she could wield her sword with ease.

She was now 10 years old. She had grown accustomed to her daily regimen of practicing, talking, eating, practicing, sleeping, and repeat. All the while, she had watched her kingdom grow and expand over the years. Her parents would try to visit, but she'd fake being asleep every time, not wanting to deal with them. She'd receive new toys, trinkets, and clothes every once in while. Her older stuff, she'd toss to the bottom of the tower, knowing she won't ever need to go back down there again.

The king stood up, annoyed. "Listen here you little punk, I'll have you know—" he was abruptly silenced as the merchant held up a sword to his throat.

"You may be a King, but your manners could use some work. Interrupt me again, and you'll never hear what happened to your daughter" the merchant replied, pulling back his sword into its sheath. He gave a faint smile to the Queen, who, nodded in return. The King sat back down, hand to his throat to check for any scratches. He grumbled as the merchant continued his tale.

One day, while she was training, she noticed a bright gleam in the sky. She stared up, looking for whatever it could have been. Unable to find anything, she went back to practicing. Once more, a gleam caught her attention. Annoyed, she continued practicing, annoying whatever it could've been. The gleam got closer and closer, pushing wind stronger and stronger against the princess. More irritated than before, she looked up to the sky to see the dragon flying around.

Glaring at him, she refused to give him the time of day. The dragon on the other hand, continued to mess with her. Flying, swatting his tail. All the while, she became more and more agitated. Eventually, she swung her sword at his tail, clashing between the two. The stronger being the dragon, he pushed her back in surprised. He didn't expect her to use the sword against him.

Pushing herself up, she glared at the dragon. "Why are you here?" she asked.

The dragon stared at her in confusion. Flaring his nostrils, he sat down on the balcony.

"You've been gone for so long…why do you keep leaving me and then coming back?!" she shouted.

"Stop shouting, it's annoying" the dragon replied.

The princess was surprised, she didn't know the dragon could even speak. The next moment, she was even angrier.

"You could talk this whole time…and you've just left me here?!" she yelled angrily.

"I didn't feel it was necessary human. Honestly, I thought you'd be dead by now."

"What?!" she growled, holding up her sword, "Do you realize how lonely it is up here?! How miserable it is?!"

He swung his tail once more, knocking her back. Now he was the annoyed one. "Do you even know where that sword of yours came from, princess?" he growled.

She gripped her sword, ready for a fight.

"Doesn't it look strangely familiar? Or did it strike you strange that there were even a sword way up here?" he continued.

"S-so? Someone gave it to me! It must of been one of the knights or good people of the kingdom!" she replied, unsure of what she said.

"Foolish, ungrateful child" he roared. He growled at her, glaring for her stupidity. He wanted to swat her off the tower, but he decided against it. He got to his feet, ready to fly off.

"W-wait! Don't leave me again!" she shouted.

"You don't deserve my presence" he growled, taking off into the sky once more.

She scattered to her feet and ran after him. "Wait! Stop! You're all I have…." she whimpered. She watched him fly off into the distance, leaving her all alone again. She stared at her sword sadly. The bright red shine of the sword always reminded her of the scale she treasured dearly. She had some thoughts that only the dragon could leave her this treasure, but she felt too abandoned to trust anyone, let alone the dragon that left her all alone for 5 years. The princess had lost track of time, unsure of what day it was, what year it was. She didn't even know if she was still 10 or not since people stopped showing up so often. Alone again, the princess stared into the sky, not sure what to do now. Normally, she'd be practicing some more, but the lingering sadness was in effect. All the princess wanted was a friend, someone to be there with her, something her kingdom couldn't offer.

As weeks passed, she continued to practice solemnly , watching the sky every chance she got for any sign of the dragon. She had turned 11 before she knew it. The Queen had come to visit her with a gift while the kingdom prepared for another attempt at getting her down. The gift she had received was a magic charm. The Queen had explained how she found a a magic man traveling through one day. He had promised her a wishing charm, able to grant any one wish. The magic man wanted nothing in return, but the Queen insisted she leave him with some gold coins for his kindness. The Queen smiled at her daughter, explaining that whatever it may be, she will be happy as long as her daughter was. With that, she left.

The princess clutched the charm close to her. She could finally leave the tower that imprisoned her. But, if she left, she'd still be trapped in another way. She spent the next few days wondering what exactly she should wish for. It dawned on her, living up on the tower wasn't so bad really. It was just lonely. Going back to the kingdom, she'd be just as lonely as she was as a child. Raised as a princess, nothing more, nothing less. She just wanted a friend. Someone that could understand her. Hugging the charm close to her, she wished with all her might.

"Please….please….I just…want someone here with me…I want someone that will understand what it feels like to be trapped…I wish for a friend…please…" she whispered through her tears. She waited and waited, but no one came. Staring at the charm sadly, she tossed it to the side.

"Figures…magic isn't real after all…" she mumbled as she wandered back into the secluded portion of her tower. The charm lay still on the balcony, the sun's rays glowing onto it. The red gem in the middle of the charm began to shine, only for a brief moment.

The red dragon flew by, seeing the gem. He stopped, noticing the gem had already activated. He roared in anger, startling the girl in the tower. She ran out, sword in hand, ready to fight. She stopped when she saw it was a familiar face.

"It's you…"

"Girl! Did you use this charm?!" he roared.

"Yes…but it didn't work.."

"You fool! Didn't work…then explain why the gem's color is gone!" he growled.

She picked up the charm, noticing that the red gem had changed to a grey. "I…but it didn't work…" she repeated, staring at the dragon. Something clicked in her head as she looked at the dragon.

"How did you possess such a thing?!" he growled, demanding got know.

The princess held the charm, ready to throw it. "Stupid charm…how could you be what I asked for…" she mumbled, throwing it to the side.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he growled, blocking her path. She only glared at him. He roared in her face, but she stood, unchanging. The two glared at each other for a while before engaging in a battle. The princess swung her sword, unable to accept that the dragon might be the friend the charm brought, while the dragon swung his tail, unable to believe the foolish girl wasted a wish.

"You dumb child! Do you realize the power you held in your hands?!" he roared, swinging his tail at her.

"Do you realize that it was a fake?! My wish never came true you horrible dragon!" she shouted back, swiping and guarding with her sword.

"It was no fake you idiot! You wasted a rare chance! And for what?! Some sweets? Your freedom?!" he roared.

"I asked for a friend and all I got was you!" she shouted, swiping at this face, leaving a noticeable mark over his left eye. She paused, looking terrified. She did not mean to hurt him.

The dragon retracted, growling and roaring in pain. His tail swung wildly, knocking the princess into the tower, causing her to hit her head. The dragon kept swinging randomly, immersed in the pain of his eye. The princess, clutching her throbbing head, grabbed one of her blankets and began dragging it over to the dragon. She tried to calm him, but he kept hitting her back. Over and over again, the princess tried to coax the dragon into calming down, but he could only roar in pain and anger.

"Why should I trust you?!" he shouted. "You DID THIS TO ME!"

"I..I didn't mean to…please…let me help you…" she'd say.

"Get away!" he'd scream.

Getting more and more annoyed, the princess grabbed his snout forcefully. "Listen you overgrown lizard, you either let me help you, or go cry somewhere else!" she shouted, staring into his good eye. The dragon, glaring at her, took a moment to think about it. HE sighed and calmed himself down. The princess sighed. She was glad he finally relaxed.

"Now…let me get some water…alright?"

"Do whatever…" he grumbled.

Leaving the blanket, she quickly walked over to the tower opening and grabbed glass bottles of water. She uncovered another bottle and picked it up as well, carrying them carefully. Setting them down next to her, she kneels down to face the dragon.

"I'm really sorry…you just got me so mad…" she spoke.

The dragon remained silent, wincing and growling whenever she would touch the wound. She uncorked the other bottle she had picked up, the smell quite strong. The dragon noticed, smirking lightly.

"Hold still…this will hurt…" she informed him.

"Aren't you too young to have a drinking problem?" he joked before growling in pain from the alcohol touching his cut. The princess quickly grabbed her blanket and started wrapping it around his face.

"One of the villagers thought I might need it, so they stored it with the last supply drop they gave me…" she told him as she tied the blanket tightly around his eye.

"Ha…probably to START a drinking problem…" he replied.

"What's a drinking problem?" she asked curiously.

"I forget you're just a kid…ask your parents about it. Seems like your father has developed one."

"You know my father?" she asked.

"Not in good terms. I'm a dragon after all. They've been hunting me for years now since this happened to you. Guess they keep blaming me. Idiot humans…" he growled.

"Oh…I'm sorry. I'll tell them to stop chasing you, if you'd like."

"Doubt it would help. When you're older, you'll understand. People are horrible in nature…"

"Well…maybe I won't grow up then" she smiled.

"That's impossible….all humans grow up one day."

"I don't want to grow up…"

"Aren't you the princess? Why wouldn't you want to grow up? You have everything. Money. Power. An army. A for sure marriage" the dragon listed.

"….I don't want to be a princess…" she replied sadly.

The dragon looked at her, unsure what to say. The princess looked up at him, offering a small smile.

"I've always been told that I already have my life planned out for me….that I needed to be dainty and proper. Smart, but not too smart. To be pretty and obedient so that one day I'll get married and help rule a kingdom. At first, it sounded nice. But…I wasn't allowed to do anything I really wanted…I wanted to be a knight...to ride horses…to have a sword, like this. But father would never allow it…even when I was trapped up here…he refused…" she told him, teary eyed.

The dragon remained silent, watching the girl. He stared at the sword beside her. Several thoughts passed through his head, but he only acted on one. His tail swept around, placing itself gently on her cheek and brushing the tears away. The girl looked up in surprise.

"What did you mean, you asked for a friend…?" the dragon asked.

Sniffling, the princess looked up at him sadly, "I wished for a friend...it's so lonely up here...someone that could understand what it's like to be trapped…"

"I see…"

"How did you know I had this charm?" she asked.

"I didn't, honestly. I happened to be flying by and then I saw it. Who knows, maybe it drew me here through your wish…"

"I thought about that...but...why would a dragon like you want to be friends with a princess like me…?"

"I don't know...but I do know what it's like to be trapped…"

"But you're a giant dragon! It must be impossible to trap you!" she exclaimed.

"That's not what I mean...maybe one day, you'll see. In the meantime...would you like some company?" he asked, looking to the side.

The princess's face quickly went from sad to happy. She hugged the dragon, pulling away when she realized it was his face. The dragon flinched, but quickly recovered. His tail whipped around, flicking her to the ground playfully. They played for hours up there. Hours became days, days became weeks, weeks became months. When people came to visit, she'd have the dragon send them off. That's when the rumors spread of a greedy dragon keeping the princess captive. He'd come back with this news and they'd laugh about it. The princess was now determined to fight anyone that could make it to her. Climbing the tower wasn't nearly enough to prove to her they were worthy of her. She didn't want anyone to win her that way. They had to fight her and win. Let alone the dragon waiting. Throughout the years, numerous knights and heroes tried to get to her. Most couldn't figure out how to climb up. Others met the dragon. Never has anyone managed to get to the top to fight her. Years went by with this routine. When they were sure the heroics were done for the day, the princess and the dragon would laugh about it. They'd spar to keep her sharp and prepared. The dragon would bring her supplies, armor, shields, and anything else he found that would interest her. They were inseparable.

Now, you may be wondering if the princess ever tried to fly away. She tried, many times in fact. But the spell on the tower prevented her from passing. She was trapped until the spell was broken. They tried many things, many incantations and spells, but nothing worked. She decided that she'd just stay up there, just her and her dragon.

The day of her 18th birthday had come.

The King and Queen prepared festivities in honor of their daughter. Many suitors were preparing to attempt to save her and marry her on the spot. The villagers cheered and applauded them. One by one, they walked toward the tower, ready to work hand in hand until it came to their prize. The princess watched from above, smirking.

"Looks like they found more poor souls. Think any of them will make it to you?" she asked her friend.

The dragon chuckled, "For their sakes, they should hope they don't even figure out how to climb the tower itself."

"Ha ha, they look adorable from up here. In a, they're so tiny and feeble kind of way. My parents should just give up. No one will ever make it to the top and live. I'm prepared to live up here for as long as I have to" she replied, dawning her armor, shield, and sword.

"One day we'll find a way to break free" he replied, looking at her adoringly. She laughed, petting his snout.

"You've become such a sap, you know that? It's cute, for a dragon" she teased.

"I could just leave you up here on your own again you know?" he threatened with a smirk.

"I know, I know. But you won't. Not after everything we've been through together."

The sound of horns blowing in the distance could be heard. The princess watched as the chosen ones began their trek to her tower. There were many challengers this time, over 30 different heroes. They marched together, discussing their tactics and plans. The dragon stayed seated, watching in amusement. He'd wait it out until he needed to assert himself.

The princess hopped away from the edge of the tower, swinging her sword in many directions. She sparred with the air, practicing in case someone was foolish enough to actually climb to the top. The dragon sat there and watched, bemused at her demeanor. Noticing, she smiled at the dragon.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked.

"You've grown into quite the woman, Natsumi" he replied.

"Don't get sappy with me now, I'm still the same kid you found in the forest all those years ago."

"That may be, but you've still changed, regardless if you've noticed or not" he said with a smile.

Putting her sword and shield down, she got into a fighting stance with her fists. The dragon raised his eyebrows, amused by her childish game.

"Like old times, what do you say?" she asked, throwing some punches at the air in front of her. The dragon prepared himself, ready to pounce. A large rock flew over their heads, landing inside the tower opening, trapping all she had inside it. Angered, the princess ran to the edge to see the catapults were being loaded.

"Hey!" she shouted down.

The men loading looked up and waved at her.

"Princess! We'll get that dragon away from you!" they shouted.

"YOU ALMOST HIT ME! And you just closed the opening to my home!" she spat back angrily.

The men looked shocked, then quickly stopped loading the catapult, realizing their mistake. The King stared up at his daughter, stubbornness in his heart.

"Natsumi! What are you wearing?! And who taught you to be so harsh!?" he shouted up.

"Come find out father! If you dare!" she shouted back with a sneer.

He sneered in anger. "All of you! Bring back my daughter safely and you may have her as your bride! Prove yourselves worthy of her hand! Teach her the pristine love she deserves!" he shouted at the men rounding up to take on the tower. The Queen sat quietly under a tree behind them. She stared up at her daughter all the while with a smile.

"How do you know all of this, merchant?" one of the knights interrupted.

"I told you, the princess and the dragon both told me. Now will you let me continue?"

"I understand that, but how do you know what the king and queen were thinking, let alone how you knew what they were doing? I was there with them that day and looking up the tower, it's already hard enough to tell what the princess looked like."

"The dragon's eyes are more focused than any human's' eye. He could see further down with great detail. I am telling you all that was told to me by the two. Dear Queen, can you vouch on your behalf?" the merchant asked, facing the Queen.

Everyone looked over to her, who was now wearing a smile. She simply nodded, agreeing with him.

"My wife must be too enticed with this story, there's no way a dragon can see that well!" the king roared. The Queen stood up, anger on her brow. The knights grew quiet, unsure how to react to this newfound anger.

"Now look here, darling. If I'm to recall, our daughter ran away thanks to your stubbornness! Now you're trying to vouch for what I was doing that day? You weren't even facing me! If I recall, you were glaring up at our princess with your arrogant views! Now sit down, shut up, and let me hear the rest of the tale!" she shouted, causing the King to sit down, lest he unleash her full fury.

She sat back down, shooting a smile to the merchant. "Please, continue."

"Thank you my lady, I see where the princess gets her powerful personality" he joked. The Queen laughed, insisting he continues.

"Let's see...where was I...the dragon saw everything, the king was being arrogant, the Queen smiled at her daughter...ah, right!"

She stared up at her daughter all the while with a smile. The Princess grabbed a shard of the boulder that enclosed her domain and tossed it down to the men, hitting one of them on the shoulder. She smirked down at them, knowing none of them would survive to even see her.

"Dragon, be alert. I wouldn't put it past my father to try and attack you while we wait."

"I'll be careful, I can fly to the skies if need be. Although, I don't want to leave you here in case they come."

"Ha! They'll never make it! Or are you worried someone will take me away from you?" she teased.

The dragon laughed, flicking her with his tail. "Oh my dear human, no one can take you from me."

"So it is that! My, my dragon, I'm flattered."

War cries from below could be heard. Men climbing and falling, groans of pain and overuse. Princess Natsumi laughed as she watched them all fumble down to the ground. All the while, the dragon watched her with a smile. From the day they first met to this day now, their friendship had grown. The dragon admired her spirit and tenacity. The days they'd work together were the days he cherished most. They were also the most terrifying. At any moment, someone could take her from him, and he'd fight till his last breathe for her. But he couldn't let her know that. His thoughts were interrupted by her laughter. She was laughing so hard, having a joyous time watching all the idiots fail.

"Natsumi! Tell us the easiest way up!" shouted the King.

"If they're so worthy, they'll figure it out themselves!" she laughed out, clutching her sides. The dragon sauntered over to her side, looking down at the tiny people. He picked her up by the collar of her shirt and lifted her up.

"H-hey what are you doing?" she asked, still laughing.

The King and the men on the ground were worrying. They glanced up at the dragon and tried throwing spears and other weapons at it. The King quickly stopped them, telling them they might hit the Princess. The dragon on the other hand carried her over out of their sight, setting her down in the center of the balcony. He looked over to the giant boulder and began moving it to the side. Struggling to lift it, he used all his might to push it off. The men below scattered, avoiding the rock just barely.

"Oh, thank you! I was worried about how I'd get in there. At least there's one male that can do me right" she joked, punching his leg playfully. Tapping her with his tail, he smiled at her. Although, there was some pain behind it.

Hours went by and hardly anyone managed to climb the tower. Princess Natsumi grew bored, wanting to fight them. She had almost thought of going down, just before the outskirts of the barrier to fight someone and quickly dash all their hopes of ever freeing her. But she decided against it on the off chance the spell would wear off.

"I'm bored" she sighed.

"I could go down and stir some trouble, if you wish" the dragon offered.

"No, I don't want them capturing you or hurting you. Let's give them another hour or so, they'll give up eventually."

"If you say so" the dragon replied, staying put and relaxing.

Time passed, and so did everyone's attempts. Few managed to figure out how to climb it, but were soon knocked off by the dragon. They tried catapulting more boulders to hit him, but they utterly missed, leaving no marks on the tower. The men left for the night, soon to return the next day, vowing to take her hand in marriage. The princess waved them off, teasing them from afar. She turned to face the dragon with a smile.

"Well, that was a slow first day. How long do you think they'll try this time?" she asked.

The dragon was distracted though, thinking of his own worries. The princess stared at him, kneeling in front of him until he finally looked at her.

"Hey, everything alright? You didn't get hurt did you?" she asked with worry in her voice.

"Oh, I'm fine. Aside from your sword, nothing can hurt me" he replied, flashing the scar over his eye.

"How many times do I have to apologize for thaaaat?" she pouted.

The dragon chuckled softly, wrapping his tail around her. "I'm fine, I must be a little tired."

"Oh, well, it was a slow and boring day, I don't blame you. Why don't you sleep then? I'll be going to bed soon anyway" she offered.

"That sounds nice. Till tomorrow's conquest then?"

"If you can call what they do a conquest, then yes. Good night Dragon" she replied, patting his snout.

He waited a few hours before deciding to get up. Not wanting to wake the princess, the dragon simply stepped off the tower, falling first before flapping his wings and soaring off into the night sky. He soared through the night, watching the kingdom host a celebration without their dear princess. Wings flapping, he passed over that kingdom, and another, and another, until he made his way to a darkened city, destroyed from head to toe. He landed, looking around cautiously. Using his tail, he tapped part of the ruined wreckage in a rhythmic tune. Shortly after, a figure emerged.

"Hello, dragon. It's been a while" the figure whispered.

"I've been busy...I need a favor."

The dark figured cackled, "A favor? You're in no position for favors, dragon. Unless, you have something of worth?"

"My scales are worth a good amount. 50 gold a scale…" he offered.

"Oh ho ho, you've never offered your scales up for anything before! What's changed, dragon?" the figure prodded.

"Do we have a deal…?" the dragon persisted.

"Hmm...what kind of favor are we talking about here?"

"I need...you to reverse my curse…" the dragon spoke meekly.

"Ahahahaha! You know very well I can't do that! You got yourself into this mess, you need to break it yourself! Dem's the rules!" the figured cackled.

"I know, I know...but, for a day perhaps? Whatever the price may be...I'll pay it" the dragon begged.

"Interesting...You have changed greatly...what's gotten into you? Hmm...oh, I seeeee" the figure replied with a feign grin. "It's a giiirrllll. It's aaallwaaays a girl."

"No more prodding witch, do we have a deal or not?" the dragon roared.

"Ah, I can make your curse reverse for exactly one day for the price of 20 scales!"

"20 scales….fine..but, take them not from one spot...make it so that it's hardly noticeable...please.." he pleaded.

"Heh heh heh, very well. Come dragon, let me extract them now. Be as silent as you can, we don't want to wake all the kingdoms in the land!" the witch sneered, preparing to yank out the scales.

The dragon leaned down, biting down as hard as he could to keep himself silent. One by one, the scales each took immense strength to pull out, sending horrible shocks throughout his body. The process took hours. When the witch was done, she hovered over the pained dragon.

"Now, be still dragon. Let yourself change, be who you were once more, if only for a day. By the rise of the moon a dragon you will be, unless you break your spell, then you'll be set free" the witch spoke, arms waving around the dragon. A fog filled the area, immersing the red body on the ground. The next thing the dragon remembered was the sun shining down on him. He groaned, sitting up to block the sun. He looked at his arms, surprised and excited. Crawling to a nearby puddle, he stared at his reflection.

"I'm...I'm normal again! This...this is great!" he exclaimed, punching the water. He stood up, taking a run with his feet. He climbed a nearby wall, jumped from rock to rock. He felt the world around him once more. He was human, like he was years and years ago. He stared out toward his destination. In that moment, he realized, "I can't fly...dammit!" he shouted, taking off in a sprint.

At the tower though, the princess stood valiantly, watching the men below try to climb the tower. She looked down sadly, wondering where the dragon went. Sighing, she walked away from the edge to adorn her armor, preparing for an upcoming battle. When she last checked, a few men were scaling the side of the tower. Then again, when she came back, some had fallen off to their death. Only a few dared to continue. The thought of knocking them off passed through her mind.

"It would be a lot easier…" she whispered to herself. "I've never actually fought an actual person though...I don't know what I'll do if I have to fight them...let alone if I lose...what would the dragon do…" she thought out-loud, wishing he'd come back soon. Remembering their past, she took a deep breath, held out her sword, and began practicing. She knew no matter what happened, she would do her best. She'd prove to her father and everyone that she could fight and that she could win.

"Princess! Please! Help us up!" she heard someone call from below. Walking over unamused, she stared down at them and turned away. "Princess please!" they shouted again. "You're not worthy if you need my help!" she shouted back. She held her sword, ready for anyone that might trespass. Two more loud yells were heard, falling and falling further from her. She smirked. "Useless…"

"Princess" a voice called from behind her. She turned, seeing a tall, burly man with brown locks behind her. Her heart skipped a beat, confidence draining from her. She hasn't had another person stand before her in many years. She wasn't prepared. She was alone. She wanted the dragon to come back for her. But he wasn't there. She thought they had taken him, captured him below. Brandishing her sword, she stood her ground with a slight tremble.

"Princess, please, I have come to rescue you" he said, reaching his arm out. She slashed. He recoiled, unwounded.

"S-stay away...or else" she warned.

The man watched her, surprised at first, then serious. He took his sword out and pointed it at her.

"I will not ask again Princess. I have successfully scaled your tower, now come back with me. I have won."

"And what's your plan to go back down?" she asked, still trembling with her sword.

"I'll find a way, destroy the bottom of the tower. Either way, you're coming with me now. You will be my wife from here forth."

"N-no! You have to fight me! If you can beat me, you will win. But you'll never get me out of this tower!" she shouted, lunging at him.

"I see the dragon has brainwashed you!" he shouted back, grabbing her arm.

"You! How can you say you've won when you haven't even taken on my dragon!"

"Don't you see Princess, he left you. Perhaps for dead. Now stop this foolishness and come with me!" he demanded, tightening his grip on her arm.

"Let go of her!" another man with blue hair yelled, attacking the taller one. And then another, and another piled in. The princess stared in fear, not sure how they could of scaled the tower so easily. Worry and betrayal filled her gut as she continued to wonder where the dragon was. She took shelter in her chambers of the tower as the men hashed out with their swords and shields. She trembled in the corner, covering her ears as groans and shouts filled the air.

The dragon was nowhere close, but he was coming. Only a kingdom away, he took to a horse, riding as fast as the horse could take him. He had a sword in his belt and a bag to his back. "I'm coming Natsumi…" he whispered to himself. He could see the tower in the distance. He was close, but still so far. Over a bridge, through a creek or two, past a forest, around a village, and all around he went. He passed by women, children, peasants, guardsmen, and more. As he passed, everyone watched, confused as to where he was going. The closer he got, the louder the music from the festivities could be heard. More people were around.

He heard a screaming and yelling from the tower. A smirk formed on his lips, thinking how those fools keep falling. He looked up to the tower, but to his surprise, there was not one person up there, but many. Fear filled his gut as he thought about the princess fighting off all of them at once. He pushed the horse to go faster. He couldn't waste anymore time. Dread already filled him from abandoning her, he can't let them take her away too.

His horse couldn't take it anymore. It gave in and fell to its side. He pat it down, reassuring it that it could rest before taking off on his own feet. Sword in hand and a passion in his heart, he kept running. He could finally see the crowds of people looking up. He could see the king and queen, but his attention wasn't for them. He ran past them, gaining some looks from those around. Sheathing his sword to his back, he unraveled a long cloth, wrapped it around the tower, and began scaling; slowly but surely.

Up above, the men battled it out. It was the last two now. The tall burly man with brown locks and a shorter, more stout man with black hair were at it for the longest time. The princess stayed in her hiding place, clutching her sword. She was slowly gaining the courage to fight, but she needed one more push toward her goal. She could hear the men shouting outside, clashing metal on metal. She could make out one of the men speaking, "A boy like you couldn't handle a girl like her! Give in child! If you let me have her, I'll let you have the dragon. Pathetic thing it is for running off like that! A measly boy like you could probably take on a wimp like that!" the brown haired man mocked. The princess was in flames with her anger. No one was stronger than her dragon friend. If he were there with them, they'd be dead ages ago. She grabbed her shield as she prepared. Her eyes spied the shine of the scale she had been given. Grabbing it, she dawned in over her heart on her armor for luck before running out there between the two. Her shield blocked one attack while her sword the other. Both men were shocked, unsure of what had just happened.

"Princess! Stand down! It is not your place to fight!" the black haired man shouted.

"I AM NO PRINCESS!" she shouted. He received a swift kick to the gut, sending him flying to the side. The princess turned and swiped her sword toward the other man who mocked her friend. He retaliated, slashing at her. Quickly, she pulled up her shield, defending herself at the last moment. The other man crawled up from the ground, joining the fight.

"Princess! This will not stand when you are my wife! You will be obedient and stand behind me, not beside me in battle!" one shouted.

"Such a brute of a female you are!" the other joined in.

She slashed at both of them, knocking them down. She towered over them in that moment, hatred in her eyes.

"I am no one's wife! I am Natsumi, the knight who guards my hand and this tower! I will not have you mock my dragon, my tower, and especially myself! Now fight me you disgusting pigs!" she shouted, holding out her sword toward them.

The dragon, climbing closer to the top overheard them shouting. A smile couldn't help but sprawl on his face. "That's my Natsumi... " he whispered. Pulling tightly on the cloth, he increased his speed, determined more than ever. The king and queen and all their constituents watched in awe as the new comer rose to the top with no trouble at all. When he reached the top, he made sure to climb the most hidden side of the tower that only he and the princess knew of. When he finally got to his feet, he looked up in time to see the princess and the two men locked in an intense battle. He watched with a faint smile. He was filled with pride and he watched her fight, throwing jabs and blocks like he had taught her. But it was the burly man who caught his interest fast. The man had reached behind him for his second sword, a sword that was not known to the princess. He shouted her name to warn her, but it was too late. The brown haired man had stabbed through her chest piece. The princess stared up at him, eyes wide, hands trembling. Both men stood there in surprise. The tall man did not expect himself to have stabbed her directly in the heart, but his own arrogance and anger got the best of him.

Enraged, the dragon came out of his spot and rushed the two men. He slashed the smaller man, ending his life quickly. But the taller one, he took his time with. Surprised by this new comer, the man was easily knocked back at first. He tried to barter with the dragon, asking to end this for there was nothing more to win. But the dragon didn't listen. He slashed and jabbed, faster and stronger every time. The man was against the edge of the balcony, trying to fight back best he could. He pleaded for his life in that moment. The dragon, still a human keep in mind, pulled him close to his face, growling in anger.

"How DARE you stab her...you horrible human...you horrible, pitiful excuse for a man!" he roared. He punched the man repeatedly, over and over with all his might. The blood from the man's face stained his arm, his face, and his clothes.

"P-please...have...mercy…" the man begged, bloodied in the face.

"Mercy…?MERCY?! YOU DON'T DESERVE MY MERCY!" he growled, punching him once more. He pulled him close again, eyes glaring into the man's. "Don't mess with a dragon, human. You will never win" he growled before slicing the man's head off and pushing his body off the edge. Watching him fall, he could hear people screaming in fear as the man toppled down.

"Who…." he could hear someone mumble from behind him. He turned, enraged still. At the sight of the bloodied princess reaching out to him, his eyes grew gently, his demeanor quickly changing to fear and worry. He ran to her, brushing her long, pink hair out of her face.

"Please...hang on princess...please…" he begged, tears welling in his eyes.

The princess stared up at him, confused at who he was. Gazing into his greyish blue eyes, she detected something familiar. She then noticed the scar over his left eye. She reached up to his face, brushing the scar gently. A smile planted itself on her face as tears from the dragon fell onto her cheeks.

"Dragon...you came back…" she whispered, wincing from the pain.

"Natsumi...please, hang on...I'll, I'll go get the water and the alcohol a-and a wrap or two. Please, just stay with me" he begged.

"I'll try...but..what happened to you...dragon?" she asked, lying on the ground in her pool of blood. The Dragon gathered what he needed and came back quickly to her side.

"Natsumi..I..I need to take this off...please bare with the pain" he whispered as he began taking her armor off. He could hear her yelp and whimper in pain, but he tried his best to be quick. When he finally took it off, he began washing off the blood from her chest with the water at hand. He grabbed the alcohol next, uncorking it to release the strong smell from the bottle that would help numb her senses for a moment. He grabbed a rag, soaked it with the alcohol, and held it up to her chest.

"It's going to hurt...a lot...please bare with it…" he told her. She nodded lightly, grabbing his hand to squeeze. When he placed the wet rag on her chest, she tensed. Her hand squeezed and clawed into his. In between breaths she tried not to scream in pain. He tried to soothe her, speaking to her, telling her she would be fine, that she was so strong. She offered a weak little smile when the stinging subsided. He quickly wrapped her wound up, tying it tightly to keep pressure on it. He gently picked her up from her blood pool and carried her to her bedding area. He cleaned off the excess blood before setting her down and covering her with a blanket.

"Still with me..?" he asked.

She nodded, still smiling at him.

"I'm so sorry Natsumi...I'm sorry I left I...I didn't think…" he sighed. "We need to get you to someone with medicine...a doctor...someone that can help."

"Y..you know I...can't...leave...this...is my prison...and my grave…" she replied, barely above a whisper.

"Don't say that...Natsumi...tell me, what do you want most…" he asked, tears in his eyes.

"It doesn't matter...I'll die here...Dragon.." she replied.

"No! Please! What is it that you want most right now?!" he shouted, tears and grief taking over.

She stared up at the changing sky. The sun was setting already, the moon ready to be free. She looked over to the man beside her and smiled. "I don't want to be trapped...I want to be free...with…" she whispered.

He stared at her, tears and a smile. He brushed her cheek gently. "Don't speak anymore….rest. Just think on your freedom. Think hard about how much you want it. The land will hear your plea...do you remember how you felt when you were a child when you first stepped on the grass below you…? You wished to not be trapped, but in doing so, trapped yourself here...it's a curse set on this land...I was supposed to guard it...but I failed, obviously...but to be free, you need to break the curse with your desires...don't you see, princess...you're already free to be what you want. No one can stop you...run away with me tonight, and no one will ever hold you back from your dreams…" he told her, holding her hand and staring lovingly into her eyes.

She stared into his eyes, taking in every word he'd said. Her gaze wandered to the sky which grew darker now. She wanted nothing more than to be free from her destiny, but she wanted to stay as well. The tower had become her home. It was everything she had known. The best part of the tower though, was that it was the only place her and the dragon could be together without the world getting to them.

"Princess…." he whispered, bringing her attention back to him. "Will you escape with me…?"

She stared into his eyes. They had begun to change. He moved away from the small confines of the inner tower and onto the balcony, never taking his eyes off of her. His body changed. He grew larger, taller. His skin turned red and shined with the new moon's presence. His tail grew out as long as before. His wings stretched out, blacking part of the night sky and the stars. His time was up. He was once again the dragon she once knew. The familiar friend she'd grown up with. When his transformation was complete, he crouched down to her again, offering once more for her to fly away with him and be free.

The princess lay there, thinking, fighting her thoughts. She could either break her curse, or die with it.

"Dragon...I...I want...I want to be free…" she whispered, smiling up at him with light droplets of tears going down the sides of her face. With her answer, he picked her up and flew up to the sky. The barrier around the tower broke, shattering into colorful dust around them. The tower began to crumble into the ground, causing all the people below to run for safety. The princess watched as he old home toppled over, stone by stone.

The dragon had taken them back to the dark, destroyed city where he met with the witch. When he landed, he tapped his tail against a pillar rhythmically. As before, the witch came out to greet him.

"Dragon, I see you're back to normal now...oh...what's this…" she asked, indicating to the girl.

"Witch...please...please help her. I know you can do it...I'll do anything. I'll give you every scale if that's what it takes!" he pleaded with her. The witch stared at him in surprise. Never had he acted this way around her before. She walked over to the girl who was now barely breathing. She placed a hand over her wound and closed her eyes.

"She will die very shortly….Dragon, is this what you've been doing for the past 9 years…?" she asked, looking up to him.

"Yes...I've been with this girl...please...she's everything to me...I will do whatever it takes witch...please save her…" he begged, tears blinding his eye sight.

She stared in awe at the dragon. She looked back down to the girl who was barely breathing now. "I will do what I can...just this once without payment…" she replied. Her hands rose above the girl's chest, surrounding her in a magical mist. "Blood of man, blood of yours, heal the wounds placed by those….blood of man, blood of yours, heal the wounds placed by those…" the witch chanted repeatedly as the mist entered the princess's body, healing her slowly. The dragon watched, hoping that she would be saved. He watched as the color returned to her cheeks and the blood on her wrappings begin to disappear.

The princess opened her eyes and smiled up at the dragon. He smiled back down at her relieved she was alright.

The witch sighed and removed her hands. "She will be fine now...dragon, why would you risk yourself for someone else?" she asked.

"She's the first person to ever stand up to me and show me kindness right after...she became everything to me, someone precious enough to keep around.." he replied, staring into the girl's eyes. Her eyes fluttered slowly as she drifted off to sleep.

"I see...she will need to rest for now. Watch out for her from now on….wait...this girl….is she not the princess who-"

"The princess of the tower, yes. She broke her curse so she was freed...good timing too…" he replied with a sigh.

"Man's arrogance truly is foolish to attack someone cursed…" the witch replied. She stood up and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" the dragon asked.

"I must retrieve some salves and leaves for some potions I'll need to make. You should watch over this girl. I can foresee her kingdom searching for her."

"Let me take you there...it'll be faster...I can take her with us and keep her safe while we wait for you" the dragon offered.

"If you are sure, then I will take you up on that offer. But dragon, be warned. Those people will be hunting for you tonight and for the rest of your life….are you still sure?"

"Yes. I can protect us all if need be...hop on my back and tell me where to go."

"Alright.." the witch replied. With a wave of her hand, the princess lifted into the air and onto the dragon's back, followed by the witch herself.

The dragon flew into the night sky, past kingdoms and villages until he was just close enough to the princess's kingdom, out of sight. The witch slid off his back and began walking into the kingdom.

"That's where she was caught by your people, dear king. You persecuted her for being a witch and for telling lies, as you called them…" the merchant interrupted himself to point out.

"Witchcraft is forbidden in my kingdom, regardless of who they are" the king replied smugly.

"As are dreams, according to your daughter...it was her idea to rescue the old lady. Take that as you will. I will continue now as the story is ending here soon…now, I'll skip the detail of her waking up and all of the witch trials you held. I'll skip straight to the planning."

The dragon and the princess watched from above as the witch was tied up and ready to be executed for her crimes.

The princess grabbed her sword, hopped on the dragon's back and waited patiently.

"Natsumi, are you sure about this? You might never be allowed back to your home" the dragon asked.

"This was never my home" she replied. She gave the signal to fly. The dragon dove down toward the crowd, causing a panic from the people. He swerved toward to King, letting the princess cut part of his clothing. Possibly a pendent, if I recall. Nonetheless, they swooped through the crowds until they came closer to the witch. With a swing of her sword, the princess sliced the ropes and grabbed her arm, lifting her into the air as the three rode off, never to be seen again.

"The witch died shortly after. She had a preexisting illness that she couldn't fight off anymore. She lived with the princess and the dragon until her final days. The princess and the dragon buried her under a tree up ahead of my store. Feel free to look if you'd like proof. As for the princess, she had set out to explore the world she never got to experience with the dragon leading the way. It wasn't long before the princess freed the dragon of his own curse. When he had finally revealed it, she punched him for not saying so earlier. Only true love could save him from his dragon form, and so they possessed such a thing to break the spell. Months afterwards I had the pleasure to meet them and hear their story. They resided within this village before disappearing one day, never to be heard or seen from again. And, that's all" the merchant finished his tale.

The knights had been listening intently, some were inclined to clap. The King however was not pleased. He stood up and marched to the merchant.

"You listen here, if you expect me to believe any of this fluff, you have another thing coming to you. Wasting a King's time! I should have you executed!" he shouted, holding him up by the collar.

Two little children ran in through the doors, happy at first, but scared now as they watched the merchant being held up against his will. "Daddy! Put him down you meany!" they shouted.

"Ah...children...go upstairs, everything will be fine…" the merchant ordered them cooly. The King released him from his grip, but shoved him on his way out.

"Useless information...all of it!" the King grumbled as he stormed out, followed by his knights. The Queen on the other hand stayed briefly, pulling the merchant to the side. She smiled at him, giving him a hug. This caught him by surprise.

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter...please continue to do so…" she whispered before letting go and walking away.

The merchant stood there dumbfounded for a moment. He turned and smiled at the Queen, impressed that she picked out the truth so quickly. A slender woman with long, pink hair walked in shortly after, pulling her hood down.

"How did it go?" she asked the merchant.

"Your father is still an arrogant jerk, but your mother...I see where you get it from" he replied, pulling her into a short kiss.

"Shame I never truly got to know her throughout my life. Though, she might want to see her grandchildren once in awhile. Maybe we could arrange something?" she asked with a wink.

"Anything for you, my dear" he replied with a loving smile.

As the King and Queen settled in their carriage, the Queen caught sight of a tall woman and two children from the upstairs window of the shop waving at her. She smiled, knowing her daughter was finally happy was all that mattered.

"Good bye, my brave warrior…" she whispered.

END


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